Get tough with straw' gun buyers

Pennsylvania judges now can enforce tough minimum penalties on people found guilty of buying more than one gun for criminals who can’t legally buy a firearm themselves.

It’s too late to help Plymouth Officer Bradley Fox, of New Hanover. Barely seven weeks ago, a convicted felon shot Fox to death. Police say a “straw” purchaser obtained the murder weapon and eight other guns and turned them over to the killer.

Such straw purchasers don’t load, aim or fire the weapon.

But they buy them, then turn them over and enable convicted criminals to get their hands on these deadly weapons — and use them.

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They deserve tough treatment.

Gov. Tom Corbett signed H.B. 898 last month, naming the law in honor of Brad Fox.

The law gives prosecutors across the state an effective new tool to arrest and prosecute these sham gun buyers, toughening current law by calling for a mandatory five-year prison term for repeat straw purchase offenders to apply to multiple concurrent offenses.

H.B. 898 is a welcome addition to the laws that help police address violent criminals and the people who help them. But more is needed. Pennsylvania still lacks a law that would require gun owners to report any lost or stolen guns to law enforcement officials or risk being penalized.

Such a requirement seems like the least law-abiding gun owners would accept as part of their responsibility. It doesn’t infringe on their right to keep and bear arms, only to report it when a weapon is lost or stolen.

Speaking of responsible gun ownership, it’s hard to understand why the Republican candidate for state attorney general, David Freed, took the time to fill out a National Rifle Association questionnaire but declined to talk to CeaseFirePA, which has been lobbying for the tough new straw-purchase law.

Democratic nominee Kathleen Kane, who won the post Tuesday, answered CeaseFire’s questions about gun violence prevention early in the campaign. Any candidate for the state’s top law-enforcement job ought to answer willingly all queries about the responsibilities that go with gun ownership.

It’s sad that it takes the murder of a police officer — or the murders of more than one police officer — to prompt the legislature and the governor to raise the penalties for aiding and abetting. At least H.B. 898 is now law.

Lawmakers should immediately begin working toward a lost-and-stolen report statute that will help track weapons when they could be in the wrong hands.